PROJECT #1999-09
Asian Aerosol Data Synthesis and Measurement
| Project Leader |
Dr. A.P. MITRA
National Physical Laboratory
Dr. K. S. Krishnan Road
New Delhi - 110012
INDIA
Tel: +91 11 574 5298
Fax: +91 11 575 2678
Email: apmitra@doe.ernet.net.in
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| Funding |
US$ 90,000
|
| Participating countries |
Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos,
Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA
|
Introduction/Background
With greater awareness about the significant role played by aerosols
in the global environment, there is a need to validate and synthesize the
available aerosol data in the Asia Pacific region by inter-comparison and
integration. Therefore it was envisaged to undertake a program by way of
which the aerosol data generated within the Pan-Asian region will be available
to scientists in user friendly format through CDs and web pages. The project
also aims to cooperate in an inter-regional level to quantify the characteristics,
regional distribution, chemistry and impacts of aerosols and precipitation
in gap areas in the Asia Pacific region using the available instrumental
facilities and generate high quality data sets for aerosols based on uniform
protocol of sampling and analysis. Finally the objective of this project
was to link the study of the aerosols and their impact with the policy-making
mechanisms.
Outline of activities conducted
- Existing aerosol data has been compiled and is being integrated and
synthesized
- Inter-regional cooperation has been established among SASCOM, SARCS
and TEACOM regions and a regional-cum-interregional workshop was organized
in New Delhi during Dec. 13-15, 1999.
- Capacity building in data assimilation/ data generation has also
been undertaken during the regional-cum-interregional workshop.
- The science-policy linkage has been established through direct interaction
between scientists and policy makers during the Kobe Science Policy Workshop
on Aerosols (28th Feb to 1st march 2000) on carefully selected topics viz.
urban pollution, biomass burning, acid rain and local to regional to global
effects of aerosols.
Outcomes/Products
1. Two regional CD-ROMs have been released:
- SASCOM CD-ROM containing meta-data directory, aerosol data generated
in this region, synthesis report on acid rain studies in India, bibliography
of references on measurement and monitoring of SO2, NOx & SPM in India.
- SEA-START RC CD-ROM for South-East Asian region.
2. Web pages:
3. Priority areas identified for science-policy linkages:
It has been recognized that aerosols should be considered as integrated
problem across the time and spatial scale. These are major issues at local,
regional as well as global levels and, therefore, following areas have
been identified to further strengthen the science policy linkages:
- Urban air quality
- Human health
- Agricultural productivity
- Climate change and hydrological cycle
4. Report:
A report on the proceedings of the Kobe Science Policy Workshop to
be brought out in printed form in the next 4 months for wide circulation.
5. Workshops:
(i) SEA-START RC organized a Regional workshop on aerosol data synthesis
and integration at Bangkok.
(ii) SAS-RRC organized a regional-cum-interregional workshop on aerosol
data synthesis and integration in New Delhi.
(iii) An `Aerosol Science Policy Workshop' was organized at Kobe Japan.
6. Capacity building :
(i) Capacity building exercise has been undertaken to use latest Information
technology tools for integration and synthesis activities.
(ii) Participants of Delhi Workshop were exposed to various kinds of
instruments used for aerosol measurements, their usefulness and limitations.
Future directions/follow-up work
It has been recommended in the Kobe science policy workshop to promote
awareness among policy/decision makers about the importance and urgent
need to address aerosol-related issues by sensitizing APN-IGM, SBSTA and
UNFCCC through national representatives and bodies like NAM, ASEAN, WMO,
UNEP, about need to address aerosol issues. Possibilities to use
upcoming opportunities like Hague and UNFCCC/COP meetings should be explored
for this purpose. Active participation of some selected Asian scientists
should be encouraged at the Oct/Nov. 2000 UNFCCC/COP meeting.
It has been recognized that there exists a need to develop and implement
a strategic, regionally coordinated and focused research effort to quantify
the environmental effects of aerosols and its consequences on urban air
quality, human health, agricultural productivity, and the hydrological
cycle at local, regional, and global scales to resolve the aerosol related
international issues. The proposed program should build upon local and
regional projects and must be linked with the international operational
programs such as sponsored by IGBP, WMO, WHO and also build upon research
projects like APN funded Pan Asian aerosol synthesis and integration activities,
INDOEX, China-MAP, East Asia Net and be targeted to provide inputs for
the ongoing inter-governmental activities like IPCC assessments. It was
recommended that action should be initiated to seek support for such a
coherent research effort from appropriate national, regional, and global
agencies.
It has been noted during the Kobe meeting that APN funded activity
has enabled the integration of available aerosol data over the Asian region
which are now available through CD-ROMs and websites. It has been recommended
that additional data such as population dynamics, vehicles types, use patterns,
fuel consumption, emission data, agricultural productivity etc. should
also be included for each of the regions in their data base on CD-ROMs
and web-sites. Continuous updating of data system has therefore been recommended.
A case study to be undertaken on the effects of fog/smog during Jan-March
period of 1999 on urban air quality, agriculture productivity and, human
health over Indian sub-continent.
Validation of satellite-based observations like EOS should be undertaken
with land based measurements of aerosols which can then go as an input
to the regional synthesis activities.
Following policy options have been identified to improve urban air-quality:
- Care-full design the municipal infrastructure for fuel distribution
and transportation
- Solid fuel combustion to be centralized in facilities equipped with
pollution control equipment and clean fuels such as natural gas to be supplied
to those facilities which are too small for application of pollution
control equipment.
- Open burning of garbage should be discouraged
- Fugitive emissions in the transport sector should be controlled
It has been agreed upon to prepare a synthesis paper on precipitation
in the Asia Pacific region by pooling the information available in three
regions namely SASCOM, SEA-START and TEACOM which will be presented in
the forthcoming IGAC meeting.
It has been felt that there exists a need to -
- develop sampling network in Asian region
- develop common QA/QC guidelines
- undertake capacity building exercise in the Asian region in aerosols
measurements, synthesis and integration efforts
- determine emission factors for different kinds of
- biomass burning
- determine standard air pollution index
- determine trends of aerosol characteristics and effects on climate,
health, crop, etc. over the past decade (1990-1999 to 2000) and future
forecasting (2001-2010) through modelling activities
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